Theory & Concepts

Master Degrees of Comparison for SSC CGL

Get comprehensive theory, expert shortcuts, and hand-picked practice questions for Degrees of Comparison specifically designed for the SSC CGL 2025-26 pattern.

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45 min readDifficulty: Medium

Degrees of Comparison refer to the forms of adjectives (and sometimes adverbs) used to compare people, places, or things. Master the three states: **Positive**, **Comparative**, and **Superlative**, along with critical SSC CGL traps surrounding exclusion rules (any other vs. any) and double comparatives.

Learning path

  • Positive, Comparative & Superlative basics
  • 'Any other' vs. 'Any' comparison traps
  • Latin adjective rules ('to' instead of 'than')
  • 20 Solved Practice Questions

1. The Three Degrees & Conversion Logic

Adjectives modify their form to convey degree of quality:

Positive

States quality without comparison. Usually formatted as 'as... as' or 'so... as'.

"He is as tall as Amit."

Comparative

Compares two entities. Uses suffix '-er' or modifier 'more' followed by 'than'.

"He is taller than Amit."

Superlative

Compares more than two entities. Uses suffix '-est' or modifier 'most' preceded by 'the'.

"He is the tallest in class."

2. Core Grammatical Traps in CGL

Watch out for these three specific error-spotting areas:

1

The exclusion trap ('any other'): When comparing one thing with others of its class, we must exclude it using 'any other' (e.g. "Iron is more useful than any other metal"). Saying "any metal" implies iron is more useful than iron itself, which is a logical error.

2

Latin Comparatives: Adjectives ending in '-ior' (such as senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior) take the preposition to instead of the conjunction than. (e.g. "He is senior to me").

3

Double Comparatives: Never use two comparative tokens simultaneously. Example: "She is more prettier" is wrong. Use "She is **much prettier**" or simply "She is **prettier**".

3. 20 Practice Questions (Solved)

Question 01CGL Practice

Identify the error: "Rahul is senior than all other colleagues in the office."

A) Rahul is
B) senior than
C) all other colleagues
D) No error
Correct answer: B) senior than

Solution

Step 1: Check the adjective: 'senior' ends in '-ior'.
Step 2: Rule: Latin adjectives (senior, junior, superior, etc.) are followed by 'to' instead of 'than'.
Step 3: Replace 'than' with 'to'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 02CGL Practice

Identify the error: "Shakespeare is greater than any dramatist in the world."

A) Shakespeare is
B) greater than
C) any dramatist
D) No error
Correct answer: C) any dramatist

Solution

Step 1: Shakespeare belongs to the class of dramatists.
Step 2: When comparing an item to its own class, the comparative degree must exclude it using 'any other'.
Step 3: Change 'any dramatist' to 'any other dramatist'. Otherwise, it implies Shakespeare is greater than himself.
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 03CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "This is the _________ of the two books."

A) best
B) better
C) more good
D) most good
Correct answer: B) better

Solution

Step 1: Notice the quantity being compared: 'two books'.
Step 2: When comparing exactly two things, we must use the comparative degree ('better'), even when preceded by 'the'.
Step 3: Superlative degree ('best') is used only for three or more entities.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 04CGL Practice

Identify the error: "She is more prettier than her sister."

A) She is
B) more prettier
C) than her sister
D) No error
Correct answer: B) more prettier

Solution

Step 1: Look at the adjectives. 'prettier' is already a comparative adjective.
Step 2: 'more' is also a comparative marker. Using both creates a double comparative error.
Step 3: Remove 'more' to leave 'prettier'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 05CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "Prevention is _________ than cure."

A) good
B) better
C) best
D) more better
Correct answer: B) better

Solution

Step 1: The conjunction 'than' dictates that a comparative adjective is needed.
Step 2: The comparative of 'good' is 'better'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 06CGL Practice

Identify the error: "Of all other metals, iron is the most useful."

A) Of all other metals,
B) iron is
C) the most useful.
D) No error
Correct answer: A) Of all other metals,

Solution

Step 1: Examine the degree of comparison: 'the most useful' (Superlative).
Step 2: Rule: We do NOT use 'other' in the superlative degree because the entity is included within the whole group.
Step 3: Change 'all other metals' to 'all metals'.
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 07CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "This house is _________ than that one."

A) spaciouser
B) more spacious
C) most spacious
D) highly spacious
Correct answer: B) more spacious

Solution

Step 1: 'spacious' has two or more syllables, so comparative is formed using 'more' rather than '-er'.
Step 2: Choose 'more spacious'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 08CGL Practice

Identify the error: "No other city in India is as beautifuler as Bengaluru."

A) No other city in
B) India is
C) as beautifuler as
D) Bengaluru.
Correct answer: C) as beautifuler as

Solution

Step 1: The structure 'as... as' is used exclusively for the Positive degree.
Step 2: 'beautifuler' is a wrong comparative form and shouldn't be used inside 'as... as'.
Step 3: Change to 'as beautiful as'.
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 09CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "I prefer tea _________ coffee."

A) than
B) to
C) over
D) instead
Correct answer: B) to

Solution

Step 1: The verb/adjective 'prefer' and 'preferable' naturally take 'to' rather than 'than'.
Step 2: Option B is the correct preposition.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 10CGL Practice

Identify the error: "This is the most unique piece of art I have ever seen."

A) This is the
B) most unique piece
C) of art I have ever seen.
D) No error
Correct answer: B) most unique piece

Solution

Step 1: Check the adjective: 'unique'.
Step 2: Rule: Absolute adjectives like 'unique', 'perfect', 'complete', 'round', 'dead' represent absolute states and cannot be graded with 'more' or 'most'.
Step 3: Replace 'most unique' with simply 'unique' or 'a unique'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 11CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "As the climate gets warmer, the glaciers are melting _________."

A) fast
B) faster and faster
C) fastest
D) more fast
Correct answer: B) faster and faster

Solution

Step 1: To show continuous, progressive increase or decrease, we use double comparatives separated by 'and'.
Step 2: Correct structure: 'faster and faster' or 'more and more rapidly'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 12CGL Practice

Identify the error: "The population of Mumbai is greater than Delhi."

A) The population of Mumbai
B) is greater
C) than Delhi
D) No error
Correct answer: C) than Delhi

Solution

Step 1: The sentence compares 'the population of Mumbai' with 'Delhi' itself. This is an incorrect comparison of unequal categories.
Step 2: We must compare population with population. Correct form: 'greater than that of Delhi'.
Step 3: Replace 'than Delhi' with 'than that of Delhi' (singular) or 'than those of' (plural).
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 13CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "The higher you climb, the _________ it becomes."

A) cold
B) colder
C) coldest
D) more cold
Correct answer: B) colder

Solution

Step 1: In parallel comparison structures ('The + comparative... the + comparative...'), both parts must use comparative degrees.
Step 2: 'The higher you climb, the colder it becomes'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 14CGL Practice

Identify the error: "Mount Everest is higher than any other peaks in the Himalayas."

A) Mount Everest is
B) higher than
C) any other peaks
D) No error
Correct answer: C) any other peaks

Solution

Step 1: Examine 'any other peaks'.
Step 2: The singular noun 'peak' should follow 'any other' when comparing a singular entity.
Step 3: Correct form: 'any other peak' (singular).
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 15CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "This is the _________ of the three routes."

A) shorter
B) shortest
C) more short
D) most short
Correct answer: B) shortest

Solution

Step 1: Look at the number of items: 'three routes' (more than two).
Step 2: Since there are more than two routes, use the superlative degree 'shortest'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 16CGL Practice

Identify the error: "This book is relatively easier to read."

A) This book is
B) relatively easier
C) to read.
D) No error
Correct answer: B) relatively easier

Solution

Step 1: Look at the phrase 'relatively easier'.
Step 2: Words like 'relatively' or 'comparatively' are already comparative in nature, so they must be followed by a **positive degree** adjective.
Step 3: Change 'relatively easier' to 'relatively easy'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 17CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "Gold is the most precious of _________ metals."

A) all other
B) all
C) any
D) any other
Correct answer: B) all

Solution

Step 1: The sentence is in the superlative degree ('the most precious').
Step 2: Do not use 'other' or 'any other' in the superlative degree.
Step 3: 'all' is the correct term to include Gold in the class of all metals.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 18CGL Practice

Identify the error: "He is cleverer than his brother but not so smart as him."

A) He is cleverer than
B) his brother but
C) not so smart as him.
D) No error
Correct answer: C) not so smart as him.

Solution

Step 1: Check pronoun case in comparisons: 'not so smart as...'.
Step 2: In formal comparisons, the pronoun should be in the nominative case ('he') since it represents a subject of an unexpressed verb ('as he is').
Step 3: Replace 'him' with 'he'.
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 19CGL Practice

Choose the correct option: "Of the two candidates, Rohit is the _________."

A) most qualified
B) more qualified
C) qualifiedest
D) highly qualified
Correct answer: B) more qualified

Solution

Step 1: Again, we compare 'two candidates'.
Step 2: Rule: Even with 'the', when comparing exactly two items, use the comparative degree: 'more qualified'.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 20CGL Practice

Identify the error: "His score is superior than mine."

A) His score
B) is superior
C) than mine.
D) No error
Correct answer: C) than mine.

Solution

Step 1: Identify 'superior'. It ends in '-ior'.
Step 2: Rule: Latin comparative adjectives take 'to', not 'than'.
Step 3: Replace 'than mine' with 'to mine'.
Conclusion: Option C.

Strategy errors to avoid

!

Unequal Item Comparisons

Don't compare different things directly. E.g. "The streets of London are cleaner than Paris" is incorrect because you are comparing 'streets' with a 'city'. Use 'than those of Paris'.

!

Grading Absolute Adjectives

Avoid placing modifiers like 'more' or 'most' in front of words that naturally express completeness (e.g. *unique, absolute, final, extreme, dead*).

Master the next modules

ModalsDirect & Indirect SpeechSubject-Verb Agreement